Rewriting Colonial Heritage in Bristol and Marseille: Contemporary Artworks as Decolonial Interventions

Abstract

ABSTRACT In recent years, the issue of decolonizing heritage has emerged particularly strongly in cities that were historically at the heart of colonial entanglements. In Europe, sites associated with colonialism and slavery have become points of protest for a range of actors, including artists and the descendants of enslaved persons, and stemmed from British and French colonial histories. This article focuses on two cities, Bristol and Marseille, whose landscapes are imbued with residual traumatic memory, exploring how colonial/slave histories are rewritten in contemporary art practices as decolonial practices manifesting more inclusive commemorations of the past. The article analyzes how dynamic memorial activities in these cities entangle heritage and aesthetics with protest and draw attention to the capacity of artists to challenge existing civic narratives. It goes on to explore the methods used by artists – such as walking in the city, performance, and installation – to engage citizens located at the periphery in conversation and elicit their participation in the rewriting of civic histories.